Walla Walla County commissioners on Tuesday authorized the chair to sign a contract for animal shelter services with Blue Mountain Humane Society, effective May 1, 2025.

Commissioner Fulmer said county staff and the prosecuting attorney’s office negotiated contract language and that the proposed arrangement uses a yearly base fee tied to recent intake averages. The contract includes a mechanism to charge additional fees if intakes exceed an agreed threshold; Fulmer described the base fee as covering the county’s four‑year average and said additional intakes would be handled on a case‑by‑case fee basis. Commissioner Clayton and Chief Civil Deputy Jesse Nolte clarified that the contract applies to animals impounded by county animal control officers (county enforcement zones are limited to Burbank and parts of Touchet) and that feral cats are not accepted by the shelter. Nolte explained the county will not pay for animals that private citizens bring in; eligible intakes must be brought by county animal control or an approved designee, and mutual‑aid pickup by city animal control can be logged to county records when authorized.

The contract retains a three‑day holding period before unclaimed animals become the property of the Humane Society for rehoming or other disposition. Commissioners and staff noted the shelter and county use microchip, tag and veterinary records to reunite animals with owners during the holding period.

The motion to authorize the chair to sign the contract with an effective date of 05/01/2025 passed by voice vote.

Clarifying detail: during the discussion, speakers referenced both an 80‑intake threshold and, separately, a 70‑animal annual cap in different parts of the conversation; those specific numeric references appear in the transcript and should be confirmed against the signed contract.